New Gemstone Comics and the Blocks

[Matthew Williams]

I wanted to say two things here!  First of all, my copies of DONALD DUCK AND
FRIENDS and MICKEY MOUSE AND FRIENDS arrived in the mail yesterday, and I am
a very satisfied customer!  I saw much to commend in both comics.  I loved
the funny characterization of Goofy in "X-Goofs" and the whole parody of the
X-Men.  Hearing Goofy stress over repression tickled me to death!  I found
the return of Launchpad AND Doofus in "The Fall Guy" most welcome.  Janet
Gilbert seems to have a nice understanding of Launchpad especially.  I found
reading a Mike Barrier duck comic really exciting!  I loved Sandwich Sam's
lashing out, and Daisy, Scrooge, and Gladstone's appearances in the story
were really choice.  I was really entranced with "The Fighting Sword of
Shambor."  I think I can see without hyperbole that I have never been so
blown away by the coloring in a comic book.  Finally, I thoroughly enjoyed
the Block's offbeat morality tale, "Tangled Dreamcatchers."  Please forgive
my ranting here, but as a fan stressed over the declining fortunes of the
comic book in America, I really want the two cheaper comics to be extra
special.  I think this month's issues are exceptional enough to grab ahold
of new fans and jump start a Disney comic revival in the US.  I just hope
that the comics can find folks outside of the obsessive collector market.

Thing no. 2:  Why does Pat Block no longer draw the comics he and his wife,
Shelley, write?  As someone who has always dreamed of creating duck comics
but has no artistic talent whatsoever, I can't imagine being content to let
others draw my stories (if I was great artist that Pat Block is).  I
apologize if the answer to this question is common knowledge amongst the
rest of you.  My interest in comics flagged a little when I was in college,
and I was quite surprised to see that Block was no longer drawing his
stories when my interest was revived.

Matthew A. Williams